Frequently Asked Questions

We have been approached before by consultants claiming to reduce costs and wanting to provide a print assessment, how is that different than what Client Advantage Group does?
What can a consultant accomplish that my staff cannot?
Will I be creating a conflict among current employees who are assigned to the tasks that Client Advantage Group improves?
Are your consultants biased toward a particular vendor?
Does Client Advantage Group hire independent contracted consultants?
What is the first step to hiring Client Advantage Group?
When is the best time to start the process of engaging the Client Advantage Group?
Why can't I just tag onto another RFP/Bid that a known to me counterpart uses?
What are the industries you work with?

We have been approached before by consultants claiming to reduce costs and wanting to provide a print assessment, how is that different than what Client Advantage Group does?

The copier and printer vendors make this claim every day to all prospects. The conflict to the product vendor assessment is that is based on a pre-determined outcome. They call themselves “Consultants” which in their case is a new word for “Sales Rep.” The conflict with this approach is two-fold. First their interest is to sell you equipment or a service based contract. Second, they are only interested in selling you the equipment they represent. This creates a predetermined outcome for the assessment and data support reported to you. While it may be factual, it does not reflect all the alternative choices. The data collected will produce the best results when prepared by an unbiased source and distributed in an RFP/Bid for competitive response from all vendors. This RFP/Bid would require both qualitative and quantitative objectives uniquely designed to meet your organizations full spectrum of requirements.

What can a consultant accomplish that my Staff cannot?

Prior to a formal engagement of our services you should ask yourself this question. Among the top considerations that leads clients from an informal engagement to a formal engagement of our services is the reality that their current costs are 25% to 35% above the results we created for our clients of similar size and scope. Most frequently the pitfall in the vendor selection process prior to our engagement is a rehash of prior practices that do not include, industry expertise and understanding of technology, leasing options and contract, and vendor performance standards. Our RFP/Bid process combined with our benchmark modeling of vendors and manufacturers brings many alternatives into play that is already standard practices in other organizations that your staff does not have access to. It is very common prior to our engagement that our client’s current selection process is completely vendor driven. Technology understanding is derived solely from the vendors who have an agenda. These “Seek and Propose” processes are exactly what sales reps are trained to exploit. Their “Price Product” based proposal does not address the least cost for the highest level of vendor support but rather what they need to sell based on what the competitors are showing.
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Will I be creating a conflict among current employees who are assigned to the tasks that Client Advantage Group improves?

Our clients tell us that topping the list of reasons for moving to a formal engagement stems from the need to update their processes and approaches due to changing needs. Because we work alongside the key stake holders at each of our clients, these individuals are exposed to many processes and resources that they can put to use in future RFP/Bid scenarios. Many of our clients lack the current focused needed to bring an RFP/Bid project in on time due to reductions in staff and the enormous workload per individual that has emerged over the past several years. Next on the list is that our client’s staff participants readily claim to be challenged when it comes to Digital Copier, MFP and desktop technology played out through vendor sales strategies. The Client Advantage Group team approach is led by personnel who have previously held Sr. Management positions in industry and are well versed in high level corporate communication and training skills.

Are your consultants biased toward a particular vendor?

The Client Advantage Group process does not reward any one vendor over another. Our process places the most qualified vendors for each of our client’s unique and specific requirements into a finalist stack ranking. Our clients as result of our services become empowered to decide which vendors will proceed to the short list of only those qualified to reaching their final award of a contract. We then negotiate components added to each contract that meet the Client Advantage Group benchmarks for both pricing and performance. This is often a regional or local determination. Our Benchmark model indicates that while a vendor from a national market scope may be great in one location, they clearly are not in another. Often times the local vendor will out perform the larger more recognizable vendor. Our process rewards only the most qualified which takes many factors into play.
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Does Client Advantage Group Hire Independent Contracted Consultants?

No. All Client Advantage Group consultants are full time employees who have a minimum of 10 years industry experience, contract negotiation skills and technology expertise.

What is the first step to hiring Client Advantage Group?

The first step to creating a successful cost reduction process is to have Client Advantage Group schedule a short meeting which allows for you to see firsthand the results we have created for other organizations similar to yours. Then we will ask for an opportunity to provide you with our “Device Usage and Operational Review.” This pre-engagement review will reveal for your company and Client Advantage Group the objectives and opportunities available to you should you make the decision to formally engage us. In this review we will provide a complete cost savings analysis, contract and vendor assessment and make comparisons to our Benchmark model.
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When is the best time to start the process of engaging the Client Advantage Group?

The Client Advantage Group process is provided entirely on your timeline. Your vendors will encourage you to upgrade your current products much earlier than the suggested life of the products. They will offer “special incentives” to entice the offer. We strongly suggest that your organization forms a strategy for each vendor you have with a “Now Is Never Too Soon” mind-set. Since our services are not paid for in advance of any savings we create – why wait? This usually translates to about a year in advance of anticipated changes.

Why can't I just tag onto another RFP/Bid that a known to me counterpart uses?

Vendors will often times suggest this as the best approach. They suggest this because they know it locks out the competition, which is exactly why it is not a good idea. This approach also assumes that your needs are the same as the needs of the other organizations. This is simply not true. The performance standards for each organization need to be customized to that particular organizations requirement. The terms and conditions of previously awarded contracts never have the same time lines, requirements or expirations attached. This leaves the latter of all those who “tagged on” holding the bag for goods and services under less effective contracts.
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What are the industries you work with?

Digital Copiers, MFP’s and Desktop Printers and Managed Print Services cross into every industry. Each different industry has requirements that are unique to that industry. Client Advantage Group has made it a priority to hire our consultants based on industry specific skills. Currently those industries include the following:

Counties, Cities, and Education	Private Sector
K-12 Community College Districts Universities Private Schools	Manufacturing Financial Legal Health Institutions Bio Medical

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